A seasoned shopper, you know all about sample sales and second-hand stores. Today, Bridezilla goes beyond the basics with an advanced guide to getting a gorgeous gown for minimal moolah. We have consulted professional ateliers, fellow Bridezillas, and other fabulous sites to bring you the best of the best guide to budget gowns. Here’s some tips to get you started:
5. Dupiono, Dahling.
Dupiono is the Bridezilla’s best friend you’ve never heard of. Pictured above, this low-cost silk is gorgeously lustrous, offers a crisp drape, and is great at withstanding wrinkles. The favorite fabric of all bridezillas seeking fabulous frugalosity, you can save a bundle by investing in this beautiful silk. Best of all, it is easy to get matching beaded Dupioni so you won’t have to sacrifice opportunities for embellishment (the Bridezilla deathknell) by opting for a better-value fabric. Lastly, Dupioni is a preferred fabric of ateliers because it is easy to sew,-which brings us to our next tip. ….
4. Couture is the key.
Contrary to popular belief, couture doesn’t mean a designer gown or the latest celebrity trend. It refers to hand-tailoring, which is a great option for bridezillas on a budget. Remember, the single most important factor in looking chic on your wedding dress isn’t about having the latest style, its about having the perfect fit that makes your body look incredible. Thus, a great way to get a fabulous dress on a budget is to pick out your fabric and have your dress hand-made by a tailor. By focusing on cut and color instead of trendy styles and heavy embellishments, you can easily get a fabulous dress for little funds. Plus, hiring even a mid-priced seamstress means you still get all the excitement of whole dress-making process, like having your dress sketched and getting fitted for a muslin. Fun!
3. Find a flesh-flattering white.
If the fit of the gown is the most important factor in a wedding gown, color is certainly second. Bridezilla cannot say this enough: all whites were not created equal! Wedding dresses come in myriad hues, from champagne to calla lily, and finding the right shade for you is essential. Remember, the wrong shade will make you look washed-out or jaundiced, and with the price you are paying for wedding photography, a less-than-lovely complexion just won’t do. Here’s a quick crash course in finding the right white:
It’s all about contrasts, so if you have a dark complexion, a “stark white” -the brightest variety- looks perfect on you. Ivory, Eggshell or Candlelight white are all gorgeous choices for red-heads and olive-skinned brunettes. If you’ve got blond hair and a pale complexion, rum white (pictured above) has a pinky undertone that brings out a pretty flush in your skin. At a loss? Ask your local bridal boutique for gowns in diamond white. Almost everyone looks pretty in this mellow white, which is softer and less styrofoam-y than its stark cousin. Bridezilla Bonus Tip: If you don’t wear white in daily life, don’t wear it on your big day. Choose a more subtle shade instead.
2. Choose an up-and-coming atelier
If you are looking for an edgy bridal gown on a budget but can’t quite afford the biggest brand name, why not try finding the next biggest brand name instead? Getting a gown designed by a brilliant fashion design student or other Project Runway proselytizers will not only save you serious cash, it will earn you serious cache when the brand later blows up. A Bridezilla like yourself has a natural eye for style, so troll your local design school open house or watch the local papers for fashion shows. Chances are, the starving student will be honored to give you a great deal on a stunning avant garde gown.
1. Wear an heirloom gown.
We know this is tricky, but most Bridezilla’s do have a genetically-inherited sense of style. If you have a few fashion mavens in the family tree, don’t overlook grandma’s attic as your very own bridal boutique. Though not always feasible, wearing an heirloom gown is an incredibly elegant and sweet gesture that has so much more meaning (and money-saving potential) than a store-bought gown. If the whole gown isn’t going to work (hello, puff sleeves), try salvaging a few stylish portions and working them into your couture gown for a sentimental touch. Remember, you can always make it modern with chic accessories and hairstyles!
